


You're The Habit I Can't Break

by GMTYUniverse



Category: BBC Radio 1 RPF, Louis Tomlinson - Fandom, One Direction (Band)
Genre: As in he plays guita, Breakup/makeup, Getting Back Together, Guitar!Louis, M/M, Post-Break Up, Punk Pop Louis, The others are his bandmates, but he is the front man, mention of the song Defenceless, not as in he is a guitar, of a punk pop band called Bridges, past relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-12-17 03:20:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21047435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GMTYUniverse/pseuds/GMTYUniverse
Summary: Louis' band gets the opportunity of a lifetime - play a Live Lounge session on BBCR1. There's just one thing that's keeping him from saying yes. He used to date Greg James, and frankly he's not quite over it.





	You're The Habit I Can't Break

**Author's Note:**

  * For [allwaswell16](https://archiveofourown.org/users/allwaswell16/gifts).

> Hello! I started this ages ago, and still managed to not upload it on time for your birthday I'm so sorry Anitra! I hope you enjoy this little piece of Grouis - a 'rekindle the relationship' fic in your honour.

Louis’ ears are ringing, as he stares at the amp he’s forgotten to plug into his guitar.

He hadn’t even gotten that far.

Harry just had to tell them the good news. And then Louis had to ruin it. Like he always does.

They’re all quietly staring at him, frowning either in disappointment or genuine confusion.

“Why not?” Niall asks.

He’s pretty new to their band, so he doesn’t _know_. Louis doesn’t want to have to tell him, but he guesses now’s as good a time as any. Or well, it’s more like he doesn’t have a choice now.

Zayn sighs and leans back into the sofa, dropping his bass guitar into his lap. It’s clear that he’s impatient and frustrated to boot. Louis gets that, he does. In all honesty, so is he. But this is a hard line he isn’t willing to budge from, not even if it means saying no to a big opportunity.

Given Louis’ unwillingness to answer Niall's question, it’s Liam who eventually speaks up. ‘He used to date him. Greg, that is.’

Niall’s eyes go wide like saucers. It’s not really common knowledge that Greg’s had relationships with men, and more specifically with one that’s also the frontman and main vocalist of a punkpop band called Bridges. Or maybe Niall hadn’t even realised yet that Louis is gay.

Then again, he’s pretty sure that the lyrics to their songs and the fact he’s got a rainbow-coloured triangle tattooed on his foot should kind of give it away. Either way, he knows now.

Zayn’s eyeing his reaction carefully, and Louis feels grateful that these men have his back – even if that means replacing their guitarist _again_. 

“So what’d he do? How fresh is the break-up? Do we all hate Greg?” Niall asks, sounding almost alarmingly excited at the prospect of gossip.

Harry’s elbow starts digging into Louis’ side, and he knows he needs to nip this in the bud now before it spirals out of control.

‘We broke up three years ago, but we’ve managed to avoid each other since. I don’t really want to talk about it, I don’t think the others really hate Greg – I don’t think _I _hate Greg, for that matter. I just know that it’s best for both of us to let it be and let it rest. In the past. So I’m sorry guys, but I really cannot agree to doing a Live Lounge at BBC Radio 1.’

Frowning, Harry sits down on the amp to Louis’ dismay – ignoring the death stare he receives for it in return. Their equipment’s expensive and the label is only willing to pay them so much, but apparently it’s only Louis who’s worried about that. “Why, though? It’s not like he’d even be there. They’re usually hosted by Clara.”

‘And it’s been three years, Lou,’ Zayn adds.

He’s starting to feel a little cornered, what with the way all their inquisitive gazes are now aimed at him. “Well, if it were me I’d also rather avoid my ex-boyfriend,” Niall pipes up.

Surprised, Louis perks up and is about to thank him, when he realises Niall isn’t done talking yet. “But – if it would be standing in the way of finding mainstream success by getting to do a Live Lounge session, I’d get over myself.”

‘Why’d the two of you break up again?’ Harry asks, and Louis shrugs uncomfortably.

It’s stupid. Looking back, he can see how their break-up was really unnecessary and just a result of two guys not being ready to commit fully to loving each other. Not in the sense of exclusivity, but more so in allowing someone else to really see you for who you are; strengths _and _weaknesses. Flaws.

For as much as Louis likes to wear his heart on his sleeve when it comes to music, he doesn’t really like being the centre of attention in his personal life. There’s a part of him that’s scared of having to be vulnerable with someone else in such an intimate way.

Being seen is daunting, and sometimes Louis wonders whether he’ll ever trust anyone enough for that to happen. But he came close with Greg.

The truth is, they were good together. When things were still working, they were great. It’s when tour started taking its toll, when they should’ve made decisions on moving forward in their relationships but didn’t – that’s when they went wrong. When they stopped making an effort, really. For Louis, things halted when Greg took the morning show without even telling him. He didn’t ask Louis, he didn’t tell Louis anything about it – he just took weeks to deliberate by himself.

And it’s not like Louis would’ve told him not to take it, but he would’ve loved to have been part of it. Would’ve loved to have known that Greg considered him important enough to consult, or to be excited with about the prospect of having been offered such a prestigious placement.

What was worse, was hearing it from other people – before Greg told him. And so they split up.

Because Louis cares about loyalty, maybe a bit more than he should.

It’s probably why he hates it so much that the band is turning against him now, ganging up on him as Liam also wonders out loud that _he_ can’t even remember so surely so can’t Louis.

“It’s my relationship, not yours,” he snaps, then gets up and moves to exit the studio they’re in. This isn’t going to end up being a productive writing sessions, if it’s starting out like this. He storms outside and pats his pockets to find a pack of cigarettes.

Greg hated him smoking. All the more reason to light up another, Louis thinks to himself as he anxiously digs further into his coat for his lighter.

He knows it’s weird that three years after the fact he’s still not over it. But they just don’t understand. It was Louis’ first proper relationship. The first one he assumed would last, anyway. And then it didn’t. And weirdly enough, he’s quietly convinced that he still loves him. Perhaps it’s because Greg’s inescapable. He sees him on posters, on the telly – he’s there every morning wishing Louis a good morning. Perhaps it’s a little pathological that he listens to him still, but he doesn’t really care.

To this day, any love song – any heartbreak song Louis writes, they’re all about Greg.

He’s tried to move on, he has. He’s dated some other guys, had hook-ups – but he never had that same feeling he had with Greg. That even though things were far from perfect, he saw them as an inevitability. Perhaps part of their issues was also that Louis took that for granted. Maybe Greg did too.

Louis realises he’s not alone anymore when he hears the door creak open and fall back closed again. Irritation flares up as he catches sight of Zayn. He pointedly looks to the other side, but he also knows that such a strategy won’t work on him. He’ll easily wait until Louis has no other choice but to face him. It’s probably why they sent him out in the first place.

Liam’s too nice. Niall’s too new. Harry’d just irritate him more at this point, he wouldn’t know when to stop.

“Can’t help but notice you’re rubbing your tattoo,” Zayn points out after they’ve both finished off their cigarettes, and Louis’ just stubbornly standing there, staring off into the distance.

He hadn’t even noticed himself, but Zayn’s right. Subconsciously, he’s been tracing the outline of his first tattoo. A stupid skateboard doodle – a reckless decision borne out of a reckless desire to have something of Greg’s permanently etched onto his skin. He didn’t know how to say I love you, but he knew he wanted a piece of Greg on him, forever. He can’t help but grimace as he counts the amount of times he’s laughed it off as a ‘dumb first tattoo’ that he regrets.

Because he doesn’t regret it. It’s still a part of him. Still a part of his history, and of his heart. Visible or not.

“You know that we all care about you Lou. And if you truly don’t want to do this, then we won’t. You know that. But. If you’re still not over him, then maybe – maybe you should consider this a sign. You’ll at least get to have closure when you see him again. To move on. You can’t spend the rest of your life pining after someone who broke your heart when you were 20.”

Louis sniffles. It’s quite cold outside, and he hadn’t brought his warm puffer jacket outside in his impulsivity. ‘You’re just saying that because you want us to do the show. Get us commercial success.’

Zayn just gives him a look, then snorts. “Of course I want us to do the show. But I also want to see you happy. I want to know that when you’re writing a happy song, you’re doing it because of the present – not because of the past.”

They’re quiet for a bit, just staring at each other, taking in the meaning of Zayn’s words. It’s confronting to hear that he can tell exactly how Louis’ actually feeling, rather than only focus on the things he’s creating.

‘I know,’ he says softly. Because Louis does know. He knows his bandmembers – his best mates – care. He’s seen the concerned glances Liam sometimes shoots him when he comes up with yet another break-up “metaphor”. He knows Harry tries hard to cheer him up with these terrible jokes of his. He knows Zayn’s always quietly waiting for him to talk, and he knows Niall just wans him to be genuinely happy in the same way he is.

“You’ll make the right decision,” Zayn adds, then pats Louis’ shoulder before making his way back inside.

It’s no surprise to anyone when Louis follows minutes later just to say he’s changed his mind. “Lads, we’re doing this. Alright?”

While the others cheer in approval, Liam walks over and gives him an encouraging smile as he hugs him. ‘Thanks Tommo. You won't regret this. We'll make it worth our while.’

* * *

Louis is so regretting this. He is currently pacing back and forth in his hallway, waiting for the car to come pick him up. Or maybe he’s waiting on the right excuse to come to him, so he can cancel and then pretend none of this ever happened.

In reality, Louis knows he wouldn't ever do that, jeopardize the band's future and success just for his own petty problems. But that doesn't mean he's keen on going through with it. He feels a little like he has to puke, dizzy from either anxiety or adrenaline – he can't even tell the difference anymore.

He knows they’ve got a lot riding on this as a band. But Louis also knows that he’s also got a personal stake. It feels a little bit like he’s forcing himself to dive off of a cliff, just to see if he’ll survive the jump and fall. “Fuck,” he breathes out, then marches back into his room and switches his shirt for a red plaid one instead. If that used to be Greg’s favourite, no one needs to know. There’s a split second where he almost switches into something else again, but then his bell rings and he knows it’s time to go.

Hopefully, he’ll relax more once he’s at the BBC Studios. Maybe the familiar atmosphere and the rush of performing will help mask the other nerves that are surging though his blood.

Louis knows it’s wishful thinking, that he’s being deliberately naïve about his own ability to let emotions like that go, but still. He’s slightly disappointed that he doesn’t feel any more settled once they’ve done their soundcheck and they’re back in their dressing room.

It’s not even that Louis is afraid of being faced with Greg himself, it’s more that he’s afraid of having to talk to him. He’s still following him on Instagram – which in hindsight was a terrible decision, and he still finds himself listening to his show sometimes just to hear his voice.

And he knows all of that makes him sound fairly pathetic, and he’s also pretty sure Greg moved on a long time ago. Which is why he doesn’t want to make a fool out of himself by casually accidentally mentioning how he knows all about Greg’s set show items, or the name of his new dog, or any and all inside joke that Greg has with his listeners.

Louis has no idea how to act in general, really. He doesn’t know whether or not Greg told anyone about their relationship, doesn’t know if people at BBC actually know that there was more than friendship between the two of them. He doesn’t know if Greg’s even out as bi. They never truly discussed it, given that Louis felt it wasn’t his decision to make – it didn’t really have to do with him. And then it _actually_ had nothing to do with him, and he’d wished that someone outside of his own friends had known about it. So they could grieve with him, so his fans would’ve understood why he was sad, why he was mourning the end of a relationship they didn’t even know existed.

His hands itch to grab a hold of the lighter in his pocket, but then Louis remembers that he hasn’t smoked this week. He’s trying to cut back, and he definitely shouldn’t smoke hours before they do their Live Lounge. He hasn’t even packed anything to smoke anyways.

‘Jittery?’ Liam pipes up, posing it as a question even though they both can tell Louis’ been pacing their dressing room for fifteen minutes now.

Louis shrugs then fakes a smile. “A bit.”

‘I can tell,’ Liam muses, which earns him a middle finger. Zayn, Niall and Harry are off to get lunch, but Louis didn’t want to run the chance of seeing Greg there. He’s pretty sure Liam volunteered to babysit him. Which he realises then is actually necessary.

Because he’s not ready, is the rotten conclusion he comes to. Suddenly incredibly aware of the fact he’s about to perform Defenceless in front of Greg makes him stop in his tracks and stare at Liam wide-eyed. Alarmed, his friend sits up from the sofa and mirrors Louis’ stare.

“Liam. I can’t do this. I really don’t think I can.”

‘Ýes, you can. First of all, you’re not gonna just leave us here without our lead singer, are you? Second of all, the only way to truly move on, is to face the past before turning towards the future. You _need_ to do this.’

Maybe he needs to, but Louis truly doesn’t want to. It must be apparent on Louis’ face, because just like that Liam is up on his feet and in front of him, trying to reassure him even more.

‘And don’t forget – you’re not alone. We’re all going to be in there. And if you really don’t want to talk to him, then don’t. We’ll talk. You just sing. We’ll say you’re on vocal rest, or something.’

He takes a deep breath, then nods slowly. Just as Louis wants to thank Liam, their door bursts open and the rest of their band of brothers falls into the room. “They’ve got your favourite food on special today, Lou! Took some of it with me for you,” Niall exclaims excitedly, carrying over a plate for him.

‘Funny, that,’ Harry says pointedly, raising his eyebrow at Louis.

He flushes at the underlying suggestion, instead going over to his guitar case and looking for his favourite pick.

“You gonna eat that, or not?” Niall asks, pointing to the food Louis has abandoned on the table. “Because I brought it for you, but if you’re not hungry, I’ll happily take it off your hands.”

Distracted, Louis nods and waves him away. He’s not feeling up to eating, unsurprisingly. He kind of just wants this day to be over with.

‘Louis’ on vocal rest, guys. So we’ll do the interview,’ Liam announces loudly, making sure that everyone knows it’s not up for debate. The others just acknowledge it with a hum or a shake of their head, and Louis’ grateful for their quiet acceptance.

It doesn’t help with the nerves though, and time seems to go by incredibly slowly as he waits for them to be called back into the Live Lounge. Ironically, Louis isn’t sure whether he’s relieved or anxious when they finally get the go ahead. Of course Greg isn’t going to collect them himself, but some part of him still wishes that he would have. At least then Louis would’ve had an opportunity without any cameras near to take him all in, and see how he’d react.

Now, all he can do is try to avoid the inevitable. That all goes out of the water the moment he walks into the studio and accidentally lets his eyes roam across the room, settling on Greg just behind the glass window.

The only solace is that Greg’s staring at him too, awkwardly raising a hand to wave at him. It’s so typical of Greg, achingly familiar. One corner of his mouth curls up a bit, as if he’s not entirely convinced himself that he should smile, but is doing it anyways. Louis can’t help but hide a giggle behind his hand at that. It’s not half as hostile as he thought it’d be. Just as painful, though. Even as he giggles, he’s acutely aware of the Greg-shaped hole in his heart, and all the hurtful things they said.

‘Hey, you good?’ Zayn asks as he steps into place right next to Louis, putting a firm hand on his shoulder. It breaks his stare with Greg, and grounds him all the same. He turns away and shakes his head with a shrug.

“We’ll have to see.”

Zayn nods, making sure to keep his gaze firmly on Greg as he does so. Louis flushes a little at the overprotectiveness of his mates, but it also warms his heart. Despite them being here, he knows they’d leave in a heartbeat if he truly couldn’t go through with it.

‘Let’s do this then,’ Zayn says quietly, bumping his fist against Louis’ before getting into his position.

A sound engineer counts them off, and then they hear Greg’s voice inside the studio so they know exactly when to start.

“Good morning everyone, and if you just tuned in – you’re just in time to hear the absolute highlight of today’s show. We’ve got a great musical act for you, they’ve been working hard for a couple of years now, and their debut album “Stories Untold” went platinum. They’re here to brighten your day, by performing a Live Lounge version of their latest single “Defenceless” – it’s Bridges!”

Louis takes a deep breath, then sings. Once he’s done, and the adrenaline is pumping through his veins, he tries to think back to how it went, but he can’t recall a single note.

Then, he looks off to the side and gauges the reaction of his band members. They’ve all got proud smiles on their faces, and before he knows it he’s being swept up in a congratulatory huddle.

‘Places in ten, then questions, then “Kill My Mind”, and five, four,’ the producers trail off, signalling them to all get back to their original position at their respective mics.

“You just heard Bridges live on your radio, because they’re here in our studio – hello guys!”

It’s real odd to hear Greg’s voice addressing him, albeit indirectly. They’ve never really been in this situation before, since Louis’ band wasn’t at the level it is now back when they were still together. A part of him wishes they’d had that experience before, rather than only after. It would’ve been nice to be able to tease him a bit on air, flirt just a little between the lines.

He’s tuned out a bit, letting Greg’s voice wash over him without really taking in what he’s saying. Louis can’t help but let his gaze linger on the small and confined space where Greg’s seated, though. There are a couple of times where he’d swear Greg’s looking at him too, but he’s too afraid to boldly stare back. Instead, he keeps letting his eyes flit across the room – they just always end up landing right on Greg again.

This time, he catches him staring. Greg’s nodding at whatever’s being said, but his eyes are firmly locked on Louis now and he can’t look away. Louis can feel blood rise to his cheeks, and he’s not really paying any attention until he can see Greg’s mouth suddenly form the letters of his name.

“Louis, what do you think?”

Clearly, Louis has no idea what they’re even discussing, and so the only thing he can do is shrug and smile sweetly. There’s a camera in the corner, so he’s got to be conscious of his body language – he can’t move away or look too shell-shocked.

‘Louis’ on vocal rest, to make sure that he’s able to do the next track. Just a precaution,’ Zayn pipes up – and Greg just raises his eyebrow at him. Clearly he doesn’t believe the fib, and for a short second Louis wonders if he’s going to call him out on it.

He doesn’t though. Instead, he just leads in their second Live Lounge performance and almost seems to ignore Louis for the rest of the broadcast. It’s excruciating. Louis thought having him look at him was hard, but _not _having Greg’s attention on him – when he’s so close for the first time in years - it’s torture.

Maybe that’s why, when they’re packing up their gear, Louis loiters around and waits in the hallway. Maybe that’s why, when he sees Greg coming out of his booth, he doesn’t immediately turn the other way but actively looks at him instead. Maybe that’s why, when Greg spots him, he doesn’t run away but instead waits not so patiently for him to come closer.

“Hey,” Greg breathes softly, running a hand through his hair.

‘You’re still stupidly tall,’ Louis blurts out in a moment of total unfiltered-ness. Greg grins, eyes eagerly drinking in Louis’ own posture.

“I see you’re still perfectly average sized.” He muses, and Louis can’t help but bark out a nervous laugh at that.

‘Guess I am.’

“How’s the voice, then?” Greg asks, scuffling his feet so they’re literally toe to toe now. Louis looks up from where their shoes are touching each other, and shrugs coyly.

Part of him is tempted to give a crude answer, maybe make a joke about how the lack of giving blowies has definitely improved his vocal chords’ health. But then he remembers they’re not like that anymore, and it scares them how easily he almost forgot – even if it’s been three years. Perhaps the most scariest thing, though, is to realise that he wants it back.

‘s okay. Just, precautions. First Live Lounge, and all,’ he lies smoothly.

Greg nods once, but his face falls a little – even if there’s still a hint of a smile on his face. “Oh. Alright then, so I s’pose it’d naught to do with me, then?”

Louis isn’t sure what the right answer is to that question, but perhaps there truly isn’t one anyways. He isn’t sure what Greg wants to hear, and he isn’t sure how much he’s comfortable sharing with Greg either. Luckily, he’s saved by the interruption of his friends. Harry is warily glancing at Greg as he grabs Louis’ arm.

“Almost time to go, you okay?” He asks, and Louis can tell by the grip he’s got on Louis’ arm that he’s absolutely ready to drag him along and away from Greg if need be.

But the look of disappointment of Greg’s face at the mention of them being ready to leave is enough to make him want to stay just a tad longer, no matter how uncomfortable it may be. So, he puts on a brave face and nods. ‘Yeah, I’m good. Just – give me five minutes?’

Harry nods, before moving away and leaving them to it once more.

Still, Louis can feel Zayn's eyes burning in his back even from a distance, so he turns back to Greg. ‘Is there a quiet place where we could talk, without interruptions or distractions?’

Greg nods almost immediately before pointing towards a door behind Louis.

“It’s a small meeting room. Should be empty right now.”

It’s a little awkward once they’re standing inside, but Louis also doesn’t want to actually sit down and have so much space between them.

“I guess I should first say that seeing you today – it just really made me realize just how much I miss you, how much I've _been_ missing you, and I regret how I treated you towards the end of our relationship. I didn’t include you when I should have, and I’m sorry for that,” Greg starts off immediately. It’s a little intimidating, and maybe a bit much – but it also leaves Louis some time to think before he says his part.

Because as much as he was ready to talk to Greg, he’s not really sure what he wants to say. In the end, words just spill out his mouth without his brain’s permission. It’s not something that happens often – or at least not when it comes to intimate, personal feelings. He supposes Greg’s just his weak spot. “You know I never really got over you.”

Greg doesn’t seem to believe that statement, because he snorts and looks off to the side. When Louis doesn’t say anything else, he turns and frowns. ‘Really? Then who are all those love songs about?’

Louis can’t help but roll his eyes at the sheer stupidity folded into that statement. “Don’t make me say it,” he grumbles, but Greg seems genuinely confused. “They’re about _you_, Greg, fuck. How can you not see that? I know that it’s been three years, but it turns out that I’m still holding on to that piece of my past.”

It’s close enough to the truth that it stuns Greg into silence. Louis isn’t sure what he should add onto the statement either. Maybe an apology as well? For him not being able to be just friends with Greg? For never having stayed in touch? Maybe he should apologise for not letting him go. 

‘So – I mean, what? I – the song you just did. Defenceless. That’s about me? You’re saying it’s about me. I’m – what? I need to process that.’

“Right,” Louis says swiftly, moving towards the door. He’s not sticking around just to be made fun of, or get embarrassed over the fact he’s apparently forever going to have feelings for Greg James. “I’ll leave you to it then.”

He’s almost at the door when Greg grabs a hold of his hand, pulling him back into the office space. His fingers are digging into Louis’ skin, and it’s sad how much Louis’ _missed_ that.

‘Don’t leave,’ Greg whispers. ‘Just – I didn’t mean it like that. I just,’ he lets out a hollow laugh. ‘I can’t believe you’d still like me.’

Louis frowns. He’s not used to that type of self-depreciation of Greg, so he’s no quite sure how to deal with it. “What do you mean?”

Greg moves his hand slowly, fingers dragging across Louis’ skin as he finally reaches Louis’ hand. H waits a beat, then looks up as if to ask for permission. Exhilarated, Louis gives an almost imperceptible nod.

‘It’s been three years. Three years in which I’ve kept wondering whether I’d ever have the balls to reach out to you and see if you’d ever consider giving me another chance. You’ve got plenty of other fish in the sea to pick from. I’m still just a stupid radio host who drinks too much caffeine, and wakes up at 3 in the morning these days to run his show. Not much of an attractive life I lead, and I’m sure that it’s not doing my looks any good either. You’re – still you. Writing bloody amazing love songs all the time like it’s nothing. You’re radiant. Lovely. Bright. And I know I dimmed your brightness for a while, and I’m not sure I’ll ever forgive myself for that,’ Greg explains, a sad smile on his face.

He can’t help himself, Louis realises, and before he knows it he’s surging upwards to kiss Greg’s lips. Louis grins into the kiss the moment he tastes the exact same mix of peppermints and coffee he’s used to. It’s a little comforting and a lot like coming home.

As they pull away, it’s because they’re smiling more than they’re kissing and their cheeks are starting to hurt a little.

“You still talk too much,” he starts. “But, I do. Forgive you for it. We both didn’t treat each other as well as we should have. I shouldn’t have been away that much. Shouldn’t have gone away for days without talking to you. It was easier, at the time, because then it didn’t hurt so much. But it didn’t help either,” Louis laments. He knows that their break-up wasn’t just Greg’s fault, no matter how easy and nice it would be to blame everything on him instead.

Perhaps that’s why it hurt so much too – it was avoidable, and yet they didn’t manage to course correct when they were headed for collision. Louis is quietly confident, hopeful at least, that I won’t happen like that this time. They’re older, they know what they want, and luckily it’s each other.

Greg shrugs, then moves to push a fallen strand of hair out of Louis’ face. He smiles a bit as he indulges him, enjoying the unhurried nature of the gesture. ‘I’m all in, if you are. I mean, I’m hoping that wasn’t some sort of pity kiss. And I do hope you’re not really ill and haven’t just given me mono,’ he jokes, making Louis’ small smile break out into a huge grin instead.

“Nope, it was the real deal babe.”

Greg smiles back, and is about to lean in again when the door bursts open and an assistant almost falls into the room. Immediately, they spring apart, although it leaves an odd sensation in Louis’s stomach – as if he’s coming down from a high.

‘Oh, apologies. I didn’t want to, eh, interrupt,’ she questions,’ but you’re needed back inside in three minutes, Greg.’

He nods, which is apparently enough dismissal for the girl to turn around and leave in the same hurry as when she came in. He turns to Louis and scrunches up his nose in distaste. “Well, that was sufficiently awkward. I’m really sorry about that –“

‘I’m not going to hide. I’m done hiding, Greg,’ Louis interrupts. It’s something he’s also come to terms with over the last three years. Being able to be proud and loud about his partner is fundamentally important to him, and if that’s not on the table, then nothing’s on the table.

Louis can’t help but feel relieved when Greg’s eyebrows shoot up in shock as he tries to assuage him.

“No, that’s not it at all! I just don’t want there to be any personal gossip flying around here. It’s my place of work, you know. Hooking up with the talent isn’t something I’d like to encourage, exactly.”

He playfully juts out his bottom lip in a pout, then tilts his head. ‘How about hooking up with your boyfriend, though? Any special rules on that?’

There’s a new glint in Greg’s eyes as he gives Louis a wolfish smile. “I guess I could make an exception.”

Louis smiles dreamily while stepping into the black van. ‘All good?’ Niall asks, exchanging a knowing look with the other guys.

“All good,” he echoes, as the idea of a new song starts forming in his head. Something about habits, maybe. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it, leave a comment and kudo if you do <3
> 
> You can also reblog the fic post[ here on Tumblr](https://goodmorningtoyouuniverse.tumblr.com/post/188392969799/youre-the-habit-i-cant-break)


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